Existence slowly bled back into his senses. Vin immediately understood he was elsewhere, in a place that defied the boundaries of any dream or nightmare. Opening his eyes, he noticed he was trapped between numerous Ravenours in a domain of indefiniteness that looked like the void of outer space. There was no perceivable floor; he should have fallen into the vast vacuum, yet an invisible, flat, cold surface was beneath his feet.
Close and distant stars sparkled among an infinite number of mystical bookshelves and 'things.' Billions of items floated around this dimension haphazardly. Vin gazed around to understand where he'd been, and his eyes promptly landed on a colossal object that stifled him with fright. A massive, captivating ship floated by his view, encompassing the entire scene like a blanket over one's head.
As this goliath of a vessel floated by like an aimless fish at an aquarium, he clocked the letters on the side. Its name read: "Titanic," a name that raised the hairs on his neck, for it was a ship known for its tragic fate on Earth.
Vin heard many of the Ravenours exhale every ounce of oxygen in their lungs at the sudden appearance of the craft. His jaw sank as he felt the leisurely ride in the Mortal Realm was over. It was by no means easy, but compared to what was to come, it was a courteous dream.
He felt physically and mentally overwhelmed. Gravity beat down on his body like a hammer to an anvil, and his mind felt as though it'd split from the sheer difficulty of processing the existence of that place. A realm that should not have existed.
Terrified yelps cracked, and Vin spun around to see another enormous object, only this one heading straight toward them. Bodies shuffled in hysteria, and he lost sight of Maeve and her entourage. His heart boomed, and his arms numbed to his side. There was no point in running. A modest, blue-green figure of a woman floated unbothered into the hoard of many mortals. The Statue of Liberty herself neared, a looming threat that could destroy them all. If not her, the giant spaceship from their other flank would mash them into nothing and finish the job.
Near seconds from impact, they said their prayers. Then, a voice knifed Vin's mind and caused him to recoil in discomfort. Much like the first appearance of an imperceptible entity on Earth, he was the only one affected by the frequency. This new voice was pleasant but didn't belong to a saint; she was unapologetic to the mortal's dread, articulating, "Ah. Guest."
All the objects in that dimension suddenly became static, as if a pause button had been pressed on a remote and stopped the statue before it crashed into them. This entity, also a historian, soon continued, "You'll have to forgive the mess. I have quite a bit of archiving left to do."
Her voice was piqued when she noticed something about them, and she excitedly said, "I've never had this many visitors before at once. And Ravenour's no less. It is rare to see your kind enter this dimension."
A desperate, spine-chilling chorus of pleas exploded from the people like a jam-packed stadium. They were all begging to be returned home, as they were there by mistake. The master of that place noted the insane age scope, ranging from children to elderly, then audibly pondered, "Hmmm."
Her sound was accompanied by an invisible smile that could be heard in her voice as she spoke, "Our wills and fates do so contrary run, that our devices still are overthrown; our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own."
"This was written by a human male named William Shakespeare. Beautiful, isn't it? Of the many histories and civilizations I've consumed, I find Earth's the most fascinating. The different people, cultures, inventions, and technology! Processing it all drives me to the brink of ecstasy!"
The historian halted, cleared her metaphysical throat, then resumed in a calmer tone. "Shakespeare has a perplexing pattern of speech. What makes it so magical is that it leaves much up to interpretation. So, Ravenours, what is your take on this excerpt?"
The silence spoke volumes. Even Vin, who'd learned about the playwright in school, couldn't quite comprehend. The woman left them with their anxiety for a minute, which felt like miserable hours. Then she said, "I believe it means no matter what you want. In the end, fate is God."
"Fate had led you here with reason, so, I must aid her cause."
Doom befell the entirety of those present.
A majestic wooden bookshelf of monumental proportions materialized in front of them. Among the many rows, one notable, glowing shelf stood out. Unlike the other racks, this one only held five decorated titles, and each book was in a different language. Vin recognized the unique writings of Earthian, Vulcan, and Elven, though he couldn't understand the latter. He could guess the last two were from the remaining races, Rivanians and Churus.
"Let's see. I've often sent Elves to the planet Vulcorath so they could see how Ravenour's ancestors lived. How about you all experience what Auroraan was like before its sickness."
An invisible hand pulled The Elven book from the shelf, unfurling the pages. Like a mother reading a bedtime story to her child, a soothing voice began, "Once upon a time, five hundred years ago, existed two mortal enemies. Elves and Demons."
"Despite the terribleness between them, there lived two lovers. One was a beautiful Elven woman, the other a fierce, powerful demon. His might led to lead armies, and her compassion made her a beloved princess of a great kingdom."
"It was a love forbidden by the gods themself. The story tells that the princess was killed by her own kind for loving the man. The demon King mourned her loss, and plagued by rage, he razed civilizations to the ground, sparking a great war that tore Auroraan apart. The conflict lasted for decades, inevitably leading to this planet's first calamity."
Silence took hold of the listeners while the information was processed in their minds.
"I am on your side. I sincerely wish you the best of luck," the imperceptible woman expressed, her words conveying earnestness that left the group wondering about her true intentions.
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Only Kane knew what would happen next, but no words were freed from his lips. Seconds later, Vin's vision gradually cut out as if he was falling asleep, however he was very much conscious while the curtains of that dimension lowered. As he faded, the woman promised to update their Journals with the necessary information, and then she vanished from their minds.
<>
For a moment, Vin traversed oblivion, but within a blink of his eyes, he violently manifested in another new setting.
His foot touched down on a solid gray stone ground, and the briny scent of seawater hit his nose. Daylight blinded him briefly, but he hurriedly glimpsed at where he was. The thousands of Ravenours from the town had been crowded around him, so it was challenging to see it entirely. Regardless, he believed they'd spawned in a surreal elven kingdom. Flora grew on the beautiful stone walls of the buildings, and wide canals of captivating green water ran through the town like the city of Venice, creating a guilelessly romantic ambiance.
Vin, who'd landed at the edge of one of the many canals, was in awe. He could see glowing surges of otherworldly magic floating in the air between crystals lodged in buildings like luminous radio waves, and he could feel an influx of mana in the atmosphere.
His and many other Journals manifested from lesser rifts floating before their owners. The text on the page was less mechanical and more intentional, as if the guide of the Archival had written it herself.
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Notice: Due to the actor's incompatibility with this story, Guided Story Mode has been activated.
[Title:] A Love Written in Ruin
[Difficulty:] Ascendant
[Guided Story Quest:]
1) Meet the Royal Guard, Frefran
2) Seek an Audience with Princess Elaria
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There were steps and structure, so he could presume that the historian indeed wanted them to succeed. The first task wanted them to meet a particular person, so they had to be nearby and, more importantly, friendly.
He was only distracted for a little over a minute, but in that time, his ears missed crucial information. There was a rumbling beneath his feet as the residents of that place raced from their homes. Vin caught a glimpse of the back of a fleeing family. They were long, slim people with radiant hair, smooth skin, and gowned with majestic threads. Their long, pointed ears were just like Maeves and often pierced.
That scene was supposedly a memory from 500 years ago, so Ravenours had yet to be assimilated with their poor reputation. History or not, they were physically menacing creatures, so they'd need to find their contact quickly and form a truce.
Remembering his clothing had burned up in the fight with Kaelix, Vin covered his lower half with his Journal. He was tense with unease because no matter how captivating that kingdom was, he was still inside the Archive Dimension. He kept his senses sharp for anything that may happen. And, needless to say, something did.
As the noncombatants fled their waterside homes, the area grew stiff as only the Ravenours murmured among each other in bewilderment. Moments later, a shrilling scream sounded further inland. Vin snapped his head toward the outcry, only to have his eyes blocked by the back of a giant man.
Another shout boomed across the city, followed by a ground-shaking explosion, and that's when Vin clenched his fist as hard as he could. His head was compelled upward upon spotting a full-sized man soaring through the air, bloodied with half his limbs missing, and that's when it began.
"Enemies! Prepare yourselves!" Maeve's boisterous voice bellowed. Even in a time of such disarray, she was tempered. Steadfast. Upon her command, every single warrior anxiously reached for the sword that was- in fact- not on their waist. Confusion battered them, and Vin remembered what he'd learned about the Archival. Aside from five exceptions, all mortal objects were disposed of upon entering that dimension.
Panic truly began to sink in once the brutes discovered they were unarmed, and as the explosions and cries came closer, their trepidation grew. Vin could tell by the mass of souls he sensed leaving their bodies that the Ravenours who were unfortunate enough to spawn deeper in the city were being annihilated. He grimaced and searched for a way out. 'I'm not going to wait here to be killed.'
There were fewer Ravenours on the opposite side of the canal, so he jumped into the water and swam across. He hauled himself up, then dashed through dozens of startled bodies before breaking through the hoard into a clearing that looked like a shopping strip. He'd only had time to poke his head out before a massive ball of churning light neared at incredible speeds and blinded him. Within a split second, his eardrums burst from a deadly detonation of magic. His flesh incinerated like a grenade against a feather pillow, leaving nothing but pieces of his remains scattered across the bodies of the survivors.
It was a grace that he was destroyed before his form could register the pain. He was suspended in death's callous embrace once again; however, those Ravenours, painted with his insides, became front row to new horrors. Vin's flaming soul loomed where he'd died so he could see his killer. A young Elven mage with docile green eyes, wavy silver hair, and a forest-colored cloak. They now ran toward the intruders with a wooden staff that accumulated mana and hailed nature to his side to attack. They weren't swift; they couldn't have been because two knights in metal-plated armor emerged from a great distance away and quickly caught up.
The knight duo passed the mage that attacked with both light and nature magic and arrived at the Ravenours' heels. Two thin, fierce blades sliced through the air and split five men in half in an instant. Those swords, known as rapiers, were much skinnier than the ones Ravenours used but much faster. The silver armor of one of those fighters caught the sun's rays, dazing another man momentarily, and his eyes shut but never opened again. A thin blade had been thrust into his chest with so much force it created a hole the size of a baseball.
More carnage ensued, and with every soul that passed, Vin felt their rage and regret. He could have used one of them to resurrect at any time, but he was oh so sick of dying. Immortal or not, he still felt pain and rued the possibility that one day he may not revive.
He waited... As time passed, the intensity of his soul diminished, so he knew he couldn't hide in that plane between life and death for much longer. Once the three Elven soldiers were well-preoccupied with their doings, he resurrected and sprinted away from that place.
The brilliant flame he created when he revived was no candlelight. The moment he regained a sense of his legs and began to run, his foot was snagged by a thorny vine. Vin landed on his belly but quickly hurled around to see the white, wavy-haired earth mage staring straight at him from dozens of steps away. That Elf's previous passive, reluctant expression was now that of extreme perplexity. The vines that caught Vin were close enough to the eternal flames that they ignited and promptly turned to ash. Free, Vin began to flee again, but that city was lush with plants. At the mage's command, a nearby tree came to life, then lashed its thick branches into Vin, who blasted high into the sky. He blacked out from immeasurable pain, only to awaken from another brutal impact as his body smashed into the water of the canal he'd previously crossed.
All the progress he made was lost in an instant. It became clear from the direction he was flung that those Elves were doing their best to ensure no one escaped.